The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Tuesday directed state government to install all necessary equipments in food testing labs at Srinagar and Jammu.
A division bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad and Justice Ali Muhammad Magrey also directed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Food Authority of India to depute a qualified person who would visit the two labs and see if they function in keeping with Food Safety and Standard Act 2006.
As soon as the PIL seeking to curb food adulteration in the state came up for hearing, Amicus Curie Bashir Ahmad Bashir raised the issues related to functioning of food testing labs and deficiency of manpower.
While the court was informed that 76 Food Safety Officers (FSOs) were in place out of 106, it directed for filling up of 36 posts lying vacant. The court also said that food analyst post be also filled up by next date of hearing. The court was however informed that 36 posts of FSOs have been referred to Services Selection Board.
After it was informed that Commissioner Secretary Health Department was holding additional charge of Food Safety Commissioner, It asked the concerned authorities to create post for Food Safety Commissioner immediately as it is a statutory post.
The court was however informed that Rs 8.5 cr were provided for further up-gradation of the two labs.
Moreover, the government informed the court that five mobile labs two each for Jammu and Srinagar besides one for Ladakh have been purchased and they will become functional after manpower is available. “Provide manpower for mobile vans meant for food checking,” the court said.
In April 2016, after taking suo-moto cognizance of news reports in Greater Kashmir on food adulteration and rising cancer incidence in the Valley, the High Court treated the reports as PIL.
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